2004 Chef at the Market Series is coming!

Shoppers at the Arlington Farmers' Market will think they have been transported to a quaint European town this year when local chefs take them on Market tours to demonstrate their knowledge of preparing fresh, local produce. The Series is intended to highlight seasonal produce and inspire Market patrons to purchase the featured ingredients.

Two free Chef at the Market tours are already lined up, and more will soon be announced:

• Christopher Clime from Ceiba on May 15th
• Susan McCreight Lindeborg from the Majestic Cafe on June 26th
• Kim O'Donnel from the Washington Post What's Cooking chat on July 10th
• Cathal Armstrong of Restaurant Eve on August 21st
• Equinox Chefs on October 21st (more details to come)

On Saturday, May 15th, as spring reaches its peak, Chef Christopher Clime from Ceiba [SAY-bah] will host a free tour of the Market at 10:30 AM. Ceiba is located at 14th & G Streets NW in the historic Colorado Building. Christopher Clime is chef de cuisine at Ceiba, a Latin American- and Caribbean-inspired restaurant in downtown Washington. Chef Clime grew up in northern Virginia and Puerto Rico before studying at prestigious Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island. He worked in South Carolina before heading back to the DC metro area for positions at DC Coast, TenPenh, and finally Ceiba. Chef Clime loves farmers' markets in the springtime and is eager to share his culinary knowledge by leading a tour of the Arlington Farmers' Market.

On Saturday, June 26th, when fresh berries as well as summer tomatoes spill from the baskets of the Market’s 30 local producers, Chef Susan McCreight Lindeborg from the Majestic Cafe hosts a free tour of the Market at 10:00 AM. Susan is the former chef at the Morrison Clark Inn in Washington, D.C., and is now the top toque at the Majestic Café in Old Town Alexandria. The Majestic Cafe, located at 911 King Street in Alexandria, has an Art Deco façade and a spacious dining room. Call the Majestic Cafe at 703-837-9117 to make your next lunch, brunch, or dinner reservations. The restaurant also has an electronic newsletter, so contact them today to sign up.

On July 10th, the Washington Post's Kim O'Donnel, a graduate of Peter Kump's New York Cooking School, will lead a free tour where she'll explain innovative cooking techniques for the Market's best goodies. Kim O'Donnel takes your questions and comments on home cooking Tuesdays at noon ET online. Once monthly, Kim also hosts a special hour for vegetarians, and she hosts a periodic video series that includes a cooking demo. See you there!

Cathal Armstrong (the "t" is silent) of Alexandria's Restaurant Eve inspired by his parents' own passion for food, began to develop his culinary skill at an early age in his native Ireland. His family was unlike any other in Dublin at the time; they grew their own fruit and vegetable garden, ate plenty of garlic and had a thriving travel business. From the mountains of Spain to the piazzas of Italy, Cathal experienced the tastes and aromas of fresh paella and pasta and began to develop his appreciation of gastronomy. But it was in France, at the tender age of seven, that Cathal began his annual student exchange and his food curriculum for life. In 1998, Bistro Bis opened in the Hotel George, where Cathal took the reins of the new kitchen as Chef. During the four years the kitchen was under Cathal's direction, the restaurant received local and national accolades.

Now the husband and wife team of Dublin native Chef Cathal, and restaurant veteran, Meshelle Armstrong, have created Restaurant Eve from a passion based on their culinary experiences with a name lent by their first child. Located in Old Town, Alexandria, a once historic warehouse is now converted into a quaint yet sophisticated 130 seat restaurant. Restaurant Eve offers two unique dining experiences, "The Chef’s Tasting Room" and "The Bistro"; to make reservations, please call 703.706.0450.